Brussels, 03/12/2008 (Agence Europe) - On 1 December, the European Commission cleared the proposed acquisition of joint control of Porterbrook Leasing Company Limited and its subsidiaries (Porterbrook) of the UK by Deutsche Bank AG (DB) of Germany, Lloyds TSB Bank plc of the UK and Antin Infrastructure Partners FCPR, a UK investment fund controlled by BNP Paribas SA (BNP) of France. Porterbrook is one of the three major British rolling stock leasing companies, which supply railway rolling stock and associated equipment (passenger and freight). None of the acquiring parties is currently active in this market. The Commission found a slight horizontal overlap relating to Voyager Leasing. This UK company, a minor provider of operating leases, is partly controlled by the bank HBOS, which is a target for acquisition by Lloyds TSB one of the acquiring parties in the transaction at issue. The Commission concluded, however, that Voyager Leasing had only very limited activities in the market and that these did not represent a threat to competition. (C.D./transl.rt)